Southern highbush blueberry plant named ‘FL02-40’

ABSTRACT

A southern highbush blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum  L.) variety particularly distinguished by a very low chilling requirement (200 hours below 7° C.) with prolific early-spring leafing, a vigorous bush, a very early ripening (50% ripe berries in north Florida about April 21), and berries that are firm, sweet, and aromatic in flavor.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

The present invention was supported in part by funds from the U.S.Government. The U.S. Government therefore may have certain rights in theinvention.

Genus and species: Vaccinium corymbosum L.

Variety denomination: ‘FL02-40’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The invention relates to a new and distinct variety of southern highbushblueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) hybrid plant named ‘FL02-40.’‘FL02-40’ is a southern highbush blueberry clone distinguished by itsvery low chilling requirement, its prolific early-season leafing, andfirm, sweet, aromatic berries that ripen during April when grown innorth Florida. Several hundred plants of ‘FL02-40’ have been propagatedby softwood cuttings at Gainesville, Fla., and the resulting plants haveall been phenotypically indistinguishable from the original plant.Contrast is made to ‘Star’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,675), an importantvariety widely planted in Florida and Georgia for early-season blueberryproduction. The new variety is important because it has a lower chillingrequirement than ‘Star,’ ripens earlier in the season, and has asweeter, more aromatic berry.

‘FL02-40’ originated as a seedling from the cross ‘FL95-54’(unpatented)×‘FL97-125’ (unpatented) made as part of the University ofFlorida breeding program in a greenhouse at Gainesville, Fla. inFebruary 1999. The seedling was first fruited in a high-density fieldnursery in the spring of 2001. After the second year of fruiting in thefield, in the spring of 2002, ‘FL02-40’ was propagated by softwoodcuttings, and an experimental 15-plant test plot was established as partof a variety test at Windsor, Fla. in February 2003. Based on theearly-season ripening and high berry quality of this plot, ‘FL02-40’ wasrepropagated by softwood cuttings in June 2005, and new test plots wereplanted the following winter at Windsor, Waldo, and Haines City, Fla.These plots, and the original plot, have been observed annually fromflowering through fruit ripening each year, and no mutations or off-typeplants have been observed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Florida.

-   -   1. A very low chilling requirement with prolific early-spring        leafing;    -   2. A vigorous bush;    -   3. Very early ripening (50% ripe berries in north Florida about        April 21); and    -   4. Berries that are firm, sweet, and aromatic in flavor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The color chart used in this specification is “The Pantone Book ofColor” (by Leatrice Eiseman and Lawrence Herbert; Harry N. Abrams, Inc.,Publishers, New York, 1990). Where colors in the drawings differ fromthe Pantone color designations in the descriptions, the Pantone colordesignations are accurate. The colors shown are as true as can bereasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows several clusters of opening flowers during the early stagesof flowering in early February. The flowers are pink before anthesis,especially in cold weather, but become white by anthesis. The relativelytight flower clusters are visible.

FIG. 2 shows several clusters of berries as they begin to ripen. Thefreckling pattern is due to naturally occurring minerals in the waterbeing used in overhead irrigation of the plants and is not an inherentfeature of the berries. Although not apparent in this figure, theberries within a cluster normally ripen within ten days of each other.

FIG. 3 shows berries at close range. The small, dry picking scars andthe relatively undeveloped, amorphous calyx lobes are visible.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘FL02-40.’ The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inFlorida. The plant history was taken on 3½-year-old plants. Thefollowing descriptions relate to plants grown in the field in northFlorida (Windsor, Fla.). Color designations are from “The Pantone Bookof Color” (by Leatrice Eiseman and Lawrence Herbert, Harry N. Abrams,Inc., Publishers, New York, 1990). Where the Pantone color designationsdiffer from the colors in the drawings, the Pantone colors are accurate.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Ericaceae.        -   Botanical.—Vaccinium corymbosum L. var. ‘FL02-40’.        -   Common name.—Southern Highbush Blueberry.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘FL 95-54,’ a proprietary southern highbush            blueberry plant (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘FL97-125,’ a proprietary southern highbush            blueberry plant (unpatented).        -   Market class.—‘FL02-40’ produces southern highbush            blueberries suitable for both the fresh and processed fruit            markets.-   Plant:    -   -   General.—Bush characteristics were taken from a plot of            one-hundred 3½-year-old plants growing in a test plot in a            commercial field near Windsor in northeast Florida.        -   Plant height.—1.3 m.        -   Canopy (diameter measured at widest part of the bush).—2.4            m.        -   Plant vigor.—High; more vigorous than ‘Star’.        -   Growth habit.—Somewhat spreading, open growth habit.        -   Flower bud density (number) along flowering twigs in            January.—Medium, about average for southern highbush            blueberries.        -   Twigginess.—Low.        -   Tendency toward evergreenness.—Medium to high.        -   Productivity.—In northeast Florida, ‘FL02-40’ produces 4 to            6 pounds of berries per bush on plants 3 years old or older.        -   Chilling requirement.—200 hours below 7° C.        -   Cold hardiness.—Flowers and fruit are hardy to −3° C.; the            plant is hardy to −15° C. during winter dormancy.        -   Ease of propagation.—‘FL02-40’ is easy to propagate from            softwood cuttings; the plants survive and grow well in            nursery beds.-   Trunk and branches:    -   -   Suckering tendency.—Medium; 3½-year-old plants have an            average of five major canes rising from a crown 30 cm in            diameter.        -   Surface texture (of strong, 6-month-old shoots observed in            June).—Smooth.        -   Surface texture (of 3-year-old and older wood).—Rough due to            exfoliation and production of vertical cracks.        -   Color of new twigs observed in June in the field.—“Seafoam            Green,” Pantone 12-0313.        -   Color of 3-year-old rough-textured canes.—“Parchment,”            Pantone 13-0908.        -   Internode length on strong, upright shoots measured in            June.—Average is 1.5 cm.-   Leaves:    -   -   Length, mean (including petiole, from tip of petiole to end            of blade).—5.4 cm.        -   Width, mean (at widest point).—2.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate, terminating in a very short dew tip, 0.03 cm            long, which is visible with a 15× microscope.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—Upper surface: “Chive,” Pantone 19-0323. Lower            surface: “Piquant Green,” Pantone 17-0235.        -   Pubescence on upper surface of leaves.—Very numerous white,            short, curled hairs along the midrib. The petiole is also            abundantly hirsute.        -   Pubescence on the lower surface of leaves.—Extremely            numerous short, white, curled hairs along the midrib.            Petiole also abundantly hirsute.        -   Pubescence on margins.—Numerous short, white hairs in places            along the margin.        -   Relative time of leafing versus flowering.—In commercial            fields in north Florida, where it is sprayed with hydrogen            cyanamide in midwinter, ‘FL02-40’ begins to produce new            leaves before the time of full bloom.-   Flowers:    -   -   Arrangement.—Flowers are arranged alternately along a short,            leafless, deciduous branch.        -   Fragrance.—Slight rose.        -   Shape.—Urceolate.        -   Flowering period.—Mean date of 50% open flowers in Windsor,            Fla. is February 1; averages two weeks before ‘Star’.        -   Cluster (tight, medium, loose).—Tight to medium.        -   Average number of flowers per cluster.—5.        -   Pedicel.—Length at time of anthesis: 0.4 cm. Color: “Red            Violet,” Pantone 17-1818 on the side exposed to direct            sunlight.        -   Peduncle.—Length at time of anthesis: Highly variable;            median is 0.5 cm. Color: “Red Violet,” Pantone 17-1818 on            the side exposed to direct sunlight.        -   Calyx.—Surface texture: Smooth. Color at anthesis: “Nile,”            Pantone 14-0223.        -   Corolla.—Diameter of tube (at widest point): 0.7 cm.            Aperture diameter: 0.3 cm to 0.4 cm. Surface texture:            Smooth. Color at anthesis: White. Length (from pedicel            attachment point to corolla tip excluding the pedicel):            Average of 1.0 cm.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Style length (top of ovary to stigma tip).—0.8 cm.        -   Location of tip of stigma relative to lip of the            corolla.—Stigma tip extends 0.1 cm beyond the edge of the            corolla tube.        -   Pollen.—Abundance of shed: High. Staining with 2%            acetocarmine (a measure of potential pollen fertility):            Approximately 98% of the tetrads appear normal and            well-formed and stain normally. Color of dried pollen:            “Winter White,” Pantone 11-0507.        -   Self fruitfulness.—Low to medium. Planting in field            configurations that promote cross pollination with other            southern highbush clones is recommended for all southern            highbush blueberry plants in Florida.-   Fruit:    -   -   Mean date of first commercial harvest (25% of berries            ripe).—April 5.        -   Mean date of mid-harvest in northeast Florida.—April 21            compared to April 25 for ‘Star’.        -   Mean date of last harvest.—May 1.        -   Diameter of calyx aperture on mature berry.—0.5 cm. The            calyx aperture is unusually deep, with a 0.2 cm to 0.3 cm            depression from the berry surface to the point where the            pistil is attached to the ovary.        -   Size and shape of calyx lobes on mature berry.—Small and            irregular, not making a well-defined five-pointed star.        -   Pedicel length on ripe berry.—Median is 0.5 cm.        -   Peduncle length on ripe berry.—Variable, median is 0.5 cm.        -   Detachment force for ripe berries.—Very low.        -   Number of berries per cluster.—Median is 6.-   Berry:    -   -   Cluster (tight, medium, or loose).—Medium.        -   Weight (on well-pruned plants).—2.3 g per berry compared to            2.0 g per berry for ‘Star’.        -   Height.—1.5 cm.        -   Width.—1.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Subglobose; slightly flattened from top to bottom.        -   Surface color of immature berries, with bloom.—“Frozen Dew,”            Pantone 13-0513.        -   Surface color of mature berries while on the            plant.—“Thistle,” Pantone 14-3907.        -   Surface color of ripe berry after polishing.—Shiny black.        -   Surface wax.—Medium in amount and in persistence during            handling of the berry.        -   Pedicel scar.—Small and dry.        -   Firmness.—High.        -   Flavor.—Excellent; sweet, subacid, and with aromatic            overtones.        -   Texture.—Good; small seeds and thin skinned.-   Seeds:    -   -   Color of dried seeds.—“Bran,” Pantone 17-1336.        -   Weight of well-developed dried seed.—0.6 mg per seed.        -   Length of well-developed dried seed (mean).—0.2 cm.-   Resistance to diseases, insects, and mites: ‘FL02-40’ is highly    vigorous, but has shown only medium survival in the field in    northeast Florida. Because it flowers and leafs very early, it is    subject to damage during late freezes. ‘FL02-40’ should be planted    on well-drained soil and is best adapted in areas where January and    February freezes are less severe than in Gainesville. ‘FL02-40’ is    expected to grow well in blueberry growing areas with low summer    rainfall. The reaction of ‘FL02-40’ to the fungal species that cause    summer leaf spots is typical of other southern highbush cultivars,    and fungicide applications may be needed after harvest to reduce    foliar diseases.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘FL02-40’ differs from the proprietary female (seed) parent ‘FL95-54’(unpatented) in that ‘FL02-40’ has a larger berry, more prolificearly-spring leafing, and a somewhat more spreading growth habit than‘FL95-54.’

‘FL02-40’ differs from the male (pollen) parent ‘FL97-125’ (unpatented)in that ‘FL02-40’ has a more vigorous bush, larger leaves, a largerberry, and a sweeter, more aromatic flavor than ‘FL95-54.’

‘FL02-40’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Star’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 10,675), an important variety widely planted in Florida and Georgiafor early-season blueberry production, in that ‘FL02-40’ has a lowerchilling requirement, ripens earlier in the season, and has a sweeter,more aromatic berry than ‘Star.’

1. A new and distinct variety of southern highbush blueberry plant asshown and described herein.